Project managed bathroom, en suite & downstairs loo installations

Adding An Upstairs Toilet, Micklefield

This article shows how ukbathroomguru added a toilet / cloakroom to a small space over the stairs in Micklefield, Leeds.

Introduction

This is a case study which shows how we can add an upstairs toilet for around 3K (in this instance) with everything taken care of from start to finish:

1. Free site survey to assess feasibility of plans

2. Free itemised, written quotation & plans for submission to the council as required

3. Installing the WC, which consisted of the following trades:

• building work – taking down the existing wall to extend the room out into the hall for extra space
• joinery – for building new stud walls, hanging doors & fitting skirting / architrave etc
• plastering
• painting
• plumbing
• flooring
• electrics (lighting & extractor fan in this example)
• PLUS – liaising with building control throughout the process to ensure everything gets signed off

Essentially, everything you need from start to finish, all starting with a free site survey. (link to contact page)

Permission

To add an en suite or WC you shouldn’t need to apply for planning permission but you should apply for building regulations approval from the local council.

This will ensure that any new electrical wiring, windows, ventilation or drainage all comply with building regulations (though many electricians self certify their work).
At the end of the work you will be issued with a completion certificate which you may need when you come to sell your house.

Feasibility

The existing plumbing & the space available will be the main factors in determining whether you can have an en-suite (or WC / cloakroom as here), but there are other factors such as lighting and ventilation that should also be considered.

Plumbing factors:

1. Running hot & cold supply pipework to the toilet & basin etcIn this example, hot and cold pipes had to be run from the cylinder across the hall:

2. Running waste water away from the toilet & basin to the drains outside the house.
This is often THE biggest stumbling block as waste water needs to run downhill (in a fairly straight line) to the nearest soil stack which is normally on the outside of the house.
Pipe runs need to be planned WAY in advance of commencing the work, and is something we can advise you on during our free site survey.

In this instance, the existing external drainage pipework was located on the opposite side of the house which made the job slightly tricky…

We amended the drainage pipework outside to make all the necessary new connections……

……and then ran the new drainage pipe underneath the hallway floorboards to the new en suite:

Space factors:

You can only add an en-suite or WC room as here if you have space, and this example is approximately 1m x 1.7m.
This is plenty, especially as the basin & WC sit side by side in this configuration.

The minimum space required for a cloakroom such as this (consisting of a basin and toilet) is approximately 0.8m x 1.4m, though this depends on which way you site the door etc.
Please see here for a small en suite example.

Light factors:
As new en suites / upstairs toilets often do not have an existing window, lighting needs to be considered at the outset to ensure the room does not feel small & dingy.
In this example, we chose to replace the existing light fitting with a suitable alternative, and we also fit an extractor fan.

Value

Adding facilities is a good way to increase the value to your property as well as making the house more enjoyable to live in – In this example there was no upstairs toilet prior to our installation so trips up and down the stairs at night to use the bathroom were a pain.

5% is the amount the addition of a well-designed en suite could add to a property according to Nationwide Building Society. This equates to £10,00 on a £200,000 house – significantly more than the cost of installation.
Therefore, adding an en suite or cloakroom such as this could be a worthwhile investment in the long run as well as making your life better during your tenure of the property.

Case study (a few more progress pics)

The space:

Taking down the old wall / doorframe (to be moved):

Blocking up the eaves:

Building studwork to extend the space, and then plasterboarding it prior to plastering.
PS Note the masking tape to keep the existing wallpaper clean and tidy.

Preparing the walls for skimming:

Skimming the new studwork:

Fitting a vinyl floor:

Plumbing in the WC & basin unit:

Painting out the room:

Finished space:

Before & afters:

Summary
1 week, £3K, project managed WC installation in Leeds from start to finish with all the bits in between taken care of:

• No having to find a builder, plumber, a separate electrician and joiner, oh and also a plasterer / painter…..
• No having to manage & communicate with all these trades to bring your plan to fruition.
• No having to liaise with the local council and tile & bathroom suite suppliers.

Instead, one company, one price and done – on time and to budget.

Anything else?

If you have any questions or thoughts about this article or any others, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

Chris

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